To call Pissgrave anything but death metal would be a mistake. While their genre-dictated peers often have one foot in other sounds — be it through clean singing, 'core inspirations or other undeathly discrepancies — these Philadelphia tyrants have both feet firmly planted in the grave. Their newly released debut full-length, Suicide Euphoria, doesn't flirt with death; it worships it through its uncensored cover "art," its perverse musical pugilisms and its menacing lyrics.
You'd have to take guitarist/vocalist Tim Mellon's word for it though — the lyrics that he calls "whirlwinds of aimless destruction" are damn near incomprehensible, though they do have a definite purpose. "The lyrics are a tool to inflict pain and have a hateful, careless perspective about life," he tells Exclaim!
Although he won't go into specifics about his personal life, Mellon suggests the record is a reflection of the "pretty constant mental and physical suffering" that inspired it. "The music is a tool to further explore the infinite terror [of life]," he explains.
If the music on Suicide Euphoria accomplishes one thing, it's terrifying. The grunts and growls are downright animalistic, while the music is crude and punishing.
Mellon has an explanation for their primitive death metal being rawer than most of the genre's output: "I think it has a lot to do with most non-harsh dudes attempting to play harsh music. Most new bands playing 'extreme' metal just steal from other bands and end up sounding stale and very forgettable."
Pissgrave, on the other hand, are very straightforward, both in terms of music and image. "The overall aesthetic is reality-based death. Pissgrave are rooted in reality rather than fantasy. Images of violent, offensive death [are] what is necessary to portray us musically and visually."
No matter what sense they're appealing to, Pissgrave are death incarnate. Fans of morbid music would be wise to get caught in their whirlwind.
Suicide Euphoria is out now on Profound Lore.
You'd have to take guitarist/vocalist Tim Mellon's word for it though — the lyrics that he calls "whirlwinds of aimless destruction" are damn near incomprehensible, though they do have a definite purpose. "The lyrics are a tool to inflict pain and have a hateful, careless perspective about life," he tells Exclaim!
Although he won't go into specifics about his personal life, Mellon suggests the record is a reflection of the "pretty constant mental and physical suffering" that inspired it. "The music is a tool to further explore the infinite terror [of life]," he explains.
If the music on Suicide Euphoria accomplishes one thing, it's terrifying. The grunts and growls are downright animalistic, while the music is crude and punishing.
Mellon has an explanation for their primitive death metal being rawer than most of the genre's output: "I think it has a lot to do with most non-harsh dudes attempting to play harsh music. Most new bands playing 'extreme' metal just steal from other bands and end up sounding stale and very forgettable."
Pissgrave, on the other hand, are very straightforward, both in terms of music and image. "The overall aesthetic is reality-based death. Pissgrave are rooted in reality rather than fantasy. Images of violent, offensive death [are] what is necessary to portray us musically and visually."
No matter what sense they're appealing to, Pissgrave are death incarnate. Fans of morbid music would be wise to get caught in their whirlwind.
Suicide Euphoria is out now on Profound Lore.